Nationwide health care

[gogoguy]

How will the proposed national health plans in the works affect the insurance industry as a whole and then health insurance itself?
To me they already have 2 big plans already. Medicare and Medicade. Hard to believe the nation thinks we need one more. In the midst of all the deregulation(cable,electricity,phone...) it seems odd that we would regulate or basically take over health insurance all together.
Seems that is it coming no matter what at this point. Obama has his plan on his site and it calls for massive job relocation for the insurance industry and such.
Is this just a bad thing to get into at this point? I know the Fed. can't put anything together that will work but if they mandate it broken or not that is what folks will have. I remeber reading something about not even being able to get better coverage if wanted or something along that line, saying that all need to participate to keep the cost down.
Anyway I would like to hear some thoughts on this. Makes me nervous to say the least. I of course had been thinking about this when looking at this industry but thought it was just too big at this point to just go away. Now I'm not to sure, most likly from just a lack of knowledge on this but that is what I'm here for.

 

[somarco]

Socialized medicine has been a topic of discussion for over 100 years. Folks who voted for Teddy Roosevelt are probably very disappointed they never received what he promised.

When Medicare became law, as part of LBJ's Great Society carriers thought they would be out of business.

They were grossly mistaken.

 

[jerrykramer64fan]

What I tell people to listen for when politicians talk, is how they plan to control rising medical costs? Not the cost of the insurance, but the cost of care. If that continues to grow at 8-10% a year, how will they continue to fund a National Health Care Plan? Will they raise taxes every year to cover costs? None of the politicians explain how they will force doctors and hospitals to accept what ever money the government sees fit to pay. This type of program is what the "People" think they want. They want a system that completely breaks with the insurance companies and puts care in the hands of the government (Expand Medicare). Most of these same people have no idea what Medicare is and how it covers. They have no idea how Medicare functions. We as agents have every idea how Medicare functions. Look what happens when we call Medicare. Do you think people would have this great trust in a government plan if they just picked up the phone and called Medicare?

Obama's plan would create a "Health Insurance Trust" of around 5-7 insurance companies that people could pick from. He claims that this will induce competition between the companies. Reducing the number of companies that sell health insurance will not increase competition. It just puts more power in the remaining big 7. His plan also states that the government will specify what plans can be offered and what the plans have to cover. By regulating the coverage you will basically set the cost of the plans. Where would they compete? The insurance companies would basically offer the same plans and compete by advertising. Who ever has the biggest marketing budget, wins. Obama also calls for "Guarenntee Issue", but does not require everyone to buy insurance. Ummm, if you can get coverage the same or next day after your diagnosed, how many people will not purchase health insurance until they are sick? What will this do to the cost of the plan when 50-75% of the people that actually buy coverage, are sick? I think our best weapon against this, is education. WE as agents need to spread the word and make people ask these same questions of their representatives.

We need to make them go to Canada Online and look at the waiting lists. My ACL replacement would have gone something like this. Hurt knee, went to doctor. He calls for a MRI. I wait three months (in Toronto) to get the test. Go to specialist (1-2 week wait) and he schedules surgery. Wait time for surgery is 3 months. In other words, does anyone body believe that most American's would be perfectly happy to walk around for 7 months with a blown ACL? They really have no clue. Education is the key.

​

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

For health insurance agents to get all riled up over what might or might not happen is a waste of mental energy. It's also detrimental to your business if part of your mindset is "if I really kick this out I'll probably be wasting my time."

We all have our opinions here. That plus $1.50 gets us a cup of coffee.

Mass. announced years ago that they were going to mandatory coverage. A lot of people said "...will never happen." Well, it happened.

Then we have New Hampshire - used to be GI that went back to fully underwritten 3 years ago.

Are we going to get national healthcare? Are we going to get mandatory GI healthcare?

The answer is......no one knows.

In the mean time, if you're selling individual health and YOU think we're going to get it then choose another career.

For me, I hope nothing happens that will harm my career. That would be the "NO DUH" statement.

If it happens it happens. I don't stop driving because one day I might get killed in an accident. Risks are taken every day.

Years back when everyone in MD drove to Ocean City they had to drive through Salisbury. Nice small town with a lot of stores set up specially to cater to the traffic.

Just a few years ago MD built a by-pass - now all traffic can avoid Salisbury. Many businesses went under and that's the risk you take.

If it happens? Well....ok. So I'd probably switch to the senior market.

But my answer now to health agents who have their mind set that they're likely wasting their time in this field due to the liklihood of national healhcare is "then go run another business."

 

[Winter_123]

Most of these same people have no idea what Medicare is and how it covers. They have no idea how Medicare functions. We as agents have every idea how Medicare functions. Look what happens when we call Medicare. Do you think people would have this great trust in a government plan if they just picked up the phone and called Medicare?​

I find the opposite. Most people would kill for a chance to get in on a deal like medicare at a lower age. They are already used to hassleing bigtime with their current carrier already, paying through the nose and often being denied, or they have no coverage at all. The cost to the country would be astronomical so I am only getting at the issue of whether the average joe would be willing to chuck what he has now in favor of paying 96 a month for part B and then the cost of a med supp on top of it. The answer is a resounding yes for a tidal wave of people. Not saying that I support a national system like that because I don;t. Just saying that that argument will not fly.

You are right though that all of the second tier solutions such as limiting the number of carriers and regulating what they must cover and at what cost and guaranteed issue etc are on the horizon and they are fatal to independent insurance agent, as discussed and disagreed with many times here. It's coming.

Winter

 

[GreenSky]

So I'd probably switch to the senior market.

The hell you will. We're full up with agents. On the other hand, when SAI quits to work at Hooters we may have an opening.

But my answer now to health agents who have their mind set that they're likely wasting their time in this field due to the liklihood of national healhcare is "then go run another business."

I would go further and suggest that any agent that advocates national healthcare get the hell out of this industry.

Rick

 

[Winter_123]

The hell you will. We're full up with agents. On the other hand, when SAI quits to work at Hooters we may have an opening.


I would go further and suggest that any agent that advocates national healthcare get the hell out of this industry.

Rick

The post you are responding to referred to agents who believe that it is coming which does not necessarily mean that they advocate it. Not the same by any means. Some realize what is coming but dread it.

Winter

 

[Guest]

T
I would go further and suggest that any agent that advocates national healthcare get the hell out of this industry.

Rick

I would advocate that agents who support the current system make plans for getting out of this industry... because I believe they will be legislated out.

This whole debate is shaping up like the one held in 1962 about Medicare. Read your history... because it is going to repeat itself... and all the agents allied with all the angels in heaven wishing that it were not so... won't change the result.

Jackass Al

 

[GreenSky]

The post you are responding to referred to agents who believe that it is coming which does not necessarily mean that they advocate it. Not the same by any means. Some realize what is coming but dread it.

Winter

Agreed. There is a big difference between believing something will happen and hoping that it does. There are agents who want universal healthcare and even promote this idea to their few clients.

Expecting something to happen is of course different that advocating it will happen. I (unfortunately) believe we will elect someone I can't stomach as president. I don't have to hope it will happen and in fact, I will do what I can to see that it doesn't.

BTW:
This message is hidden because al3 is on your ignore list.

Rick

 

[LGilmore]

They can tell america all they want right now. The fact is we are collapsing as a nation and adding new programs will just make it that much quicker. Right now If I were president I'd be thinking of how to keep americans employed and in their homes.

Obama has an out though to campain promises this way. He simply will have to spend his time and efforts to undo what has been done the last eight years. The price tag is simply too high right now for much to change. Taxing all the rich people in the country isn't going to reverse the financial damage for many years. They will tax the rich, they will reinstate the estate tax (slightly modified) and that's about it. They simply don't have the money to change things now.

And they knew it coming in. It easy to promise things you know you can't deliver simply because you really can't fire a president for that stuff.

Basically whomever wins the office is going to be spending most of their time pulling our financial butt out of the fire.